88530-88532
EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 88530-88532
88530. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the programs and services provided through the ED>Net Program shall be flexible and responsive to the needs identified through the statewide and regional planning process. Services shall be demand-driven, and delivery structures shall be agile, performance-oriented, cost-effective, and contribute to regional economic growth and competitiveness. The use of economic and workforce development program centers, local economic development corporations, industry-driven regional collaboratives, and business networks, employers, and service providers shall provide a stable and flexible response mechanism for the identification of training priorities and to focus resources on short-term intensive projects for high growth sectors. These networks shall have the flexibility to meet the demand for new and emerging growth sectors and be formed, modified, eliminated, and reformed for short- or long-term responses customized to the duration of the need. Programs and projects developed and implemented at centers and industry-driven regional collaborative projects may act as catalysts for future vocational education programs in the system. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that centers shall be established as the long-term structure of the network's service delivery system. Centers shall provide regional sites to efficiently respond to employer and worker needs, and shall deliver services for the strategic initiative areas pursuant to the mission of the community colleges economic and workforce development program. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that industry-driven regional collaboratives perform services as participants of regional networks. Grants by industry-driven regional collaboratives shall provide flexibility for local projects to assess and define their individual project needs. New local programs and equipment shall be key components of these grants. Funding shall not be limited per project, but shall be based on the merit and reasonable cost for the anticipated outcomes and performance of the project. Funding for industry-driven regional collaboratives shall be limited to two consecutive fiscal years. 88531. Economic and workforce development program centers and California Community College participation in industry-driven regional collaboratives may provide any or all of the following services and perform the following functions as participants of networks, including, but not necessarily limited to, all of the following: (a) Curriculum development, design, and modification that contribute to workforce skill development common to industry clusters within a region. (b) Development of instructional packages focusing on the technical skill specific to emerging occupations in targeted industries and growing industry clusters. (c) Faculty mentorships, faculty and staff development, in-service training, and worksite experience supporting the new curriculum and instructional modes responding to identified regional needs. (d) Institutional support, professional development, and transformational activities focused on removing systematic barriers to the development of new methods, transition to a flexible and more responsive administration of programs, and the timely and cost-effective delivery of services. (e) The deployment of new methodologies, modes, and technologies that enhance performance and outcomes and improve cost effectiveness of service delivery or create new college programs. (f) One-on-one counseling, seminars, workshops, and conferences that contribute to the achievement of the success of existing business and foster the growth of new business and jobs in emerging industry clusters. (g) The delivery of performance-improvement training, which shall be provided on a matching basis to employers to benefit workforce participants. This will promote continuous workforce improvement in identified strategic priority areas, identified industry clusters, or areas targeted in the regional business resource assistance and innovation network plans. (h) Credit and noncredit programs and courses that contribute to workforce skill development common to industry clusters within a region or that focus on the technical skills specific to emerging occupations in targeted industries and growing industry clusters, as identified by regional needs assessment. (i) Subsidized student internships on a cash or in-kind matching basis for program participants in occupational categories determined to be consistent with the skill clusters necessary to be successful in the identified strategic priority areas, identified industry clusters, or areas targeted by network infrastructure plans. (j) Acquisition of equipment to support the eligible activities and the limited renovation of facilities to accommodate the delivery of eligible services. 88532. (a) The board of governors shall assist economic and workforce regional development centers and consortia, including middle and junior high schools or high schools and regional occupational centers and programs, to improve linkages and career-technical education pathways between high schools and community colleges for the benefit of pupils and students in both education systems. This assistance shall include all of the following: (1) Expanding certificate programs in identified economic development program strategic priority areas. (2) Aligning existing technical preparation programs and career-technical education curriculum between high schools and community colleges to more targeted industry-driven programs through the models consistent with economic and workforce development strategic priority areas. (3) Promoting the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program's successful integration of business and emerging industries with career technical programs provided in high schools. (4) Creating new articulated courses between high schools and community colleges and, where appropriate, four-year institutions. (5) Accelerating education and training for those students who choose to be prepared for career and technical employment opportunities in less traditional and more expeditious methods while maintaining and or improving student competencies. (6) Exploring new and more relevant career and technical practicum models that integrate coursework and student internship. (7) Improving the quality of career exploration and career outreach materials. (8) Disseminating materials and curriculum to all middle schools and senior high schools. (b) The chancellor shall develop an implementation strategy for the program objectives delineated in this section as a part of the annual expenditure plan submitted to the advisory committee for the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program and the board of governors. (c) This section shall be operative only in fiscal years for which funds have been appropriated by the Legislature expressly for the purposes of this section. (d) The board of governors shall ensure that elementary and secondary school educators strongly collaborate with college faculty in implementing this section.